In the history of civilization, military conflicts have always occurred. And each protracted conflict differed in its duration. We bring to your attention the top 10 longest wars in human history.

Vietnam War

The well-known military conflict between the United States and Vietnam lasted eighteen years (1957-1975). In the history of America, some facts of these events are still silent. In Vietnam, this war is considered not only a tragic, but also a heroic period.

The immediate cause of serious clashes was the rise of communists to power in the Middle Kingdom and South Vietnam. Accordingly, the US President no longer wanted to put up with the potential for a communist “domino effect.” That's why White House decided to use military force.

American combat units outgunned the Vietnamese. But the national army brilliantly used guerrilla methods in the fight against the enemy.

As a result, the war ended with a mutually beneficial agreement between the states.

Northern War

Perhaps the longest war in Russian history is the Northern War. In 1700, Russia collided with one of the most powerful powers of that era - Sweden. The first military failures of Peter I became the impetus for the start of serious reforms. As a result, by 1703, the Russian autocrat had already won a number of victories, after which the entire Neva was in his hands. That is why the tsar decided to found a new capital there - St. Petersburg.

A little later, the Russian army conquered Dorpat and Narva.

Meanwhile, the Swedish emperor demanded revenge, and in 1708 his units again invaded Russia. This was the beginning of the decline of this northern power.

First, Russian soldiers defeated the Swedes near Lesnaya. And then - near Poltava, in the decisive battle.

Defeat in this battle put an end not only to the ambitious plans of Charles XII, but also to the prospects of the Swedish “great power”.

A few years later the new one sued for peace. The corresponding agreement was concluded in 1721, and it became disastrous for the state. Sweden has practically ceased to be considered a great power. In addition, she lost almost all of her possessions.

Peloponnesian conflict

This war lasted twenty-seven years. And such ancient states-policies as Sparta and Athens were involved in it. The conflict itself did not begin spontaneously. Sparta had an oligarchic form of government, Athens - democracy. There was also a kind of cultural confrontation. Overall, these two strong leaders could not help but meet on the battlefield.

The Athenians carried out sea raids on the shores of the Peloponnese. The Spartans invaded the territory of Attica.

After some time, both warring parties entered into a peace treaty, but a few years later Athens violated the terms. And hostilities began again.

In general, the Athenians lost. So, they were defeated near Syracuse. Then, with the support of Persia, Sparta managed to build its own fleet. This flotilla finally defeated the enemy at Aegospotami.

The main result of the war was the loss of all Athenian colonies. In addition, the policy itself was forced to join the Spartan Union.

A war that lasted three decades

Over the course of three decades (1618-1648), literally everything European powers took part in religious clashes. It all started with a conflict between German Protestants and Catholics, after which this local incident turned into a large-scale war in Europe. Note that Russia was also involved in this conflict. Only Switzerland remained neutral.

During the years of this merciless war, the number of inhabitants of Germany decreased by several orders of magnitude!

By the end of the clashes, the warring parties concluded a peace treaty. The consequence of this document was the formation independent state- Netherlands.

Clash of factions of the British aristocracy

In medieval England in the second half of the 15th century there was active military action. Contemporaries called them the War of the Scarlet and White Roses. In essence, it was a series of civil wars that, in total, lasted 33 years. It was a confrontation between factions of the aristocracy for power. The main participants in the conflict were representatives of the Lancastrian and York branches.

Years later, after numerous battles in the war, the Lancastrians won. But after some time, a representative of the Tudor dynasty ascended the throne. This royal family ruled for almost 120 years.

Liberation in Guatemala

The Guatemalan conflict lasted thirty-six years (1960-1996). It was a civil war. The opposing sides are representatives of Indian tribes, primarily the Mayans, and the Spaniards.

The fact is that in Guatemala in the 50s, with the support of the United States, a coup was carried out. Members of the opposition began to form a rebel army. The liberation movement expanded. The partisans repeatedly managed to occupy cities and villages. As a rule, governing bodies were created immediately.

Meanwhile, the war dragged on. The Guatemalan authorities admitted that a military solution to this conflict is impossible. The result was a peace that was the official protection of the 23 Indian groups in the country.

In total, about 200 thousand people died during the war, most of whom were Mayans. Approximately another 150 thousand are considered missing.

Half a century of conflict

The war between the Persians and Greeks lasted for half a century (499-449 BC). By the beginning of the conflict, Persia was considered a powerful and warlike power. Greece or Hellas as such on the map Ancient world didn't exist at all. There were only disconnected policies (city-states). They seemed unable to resist the great Persia.

Be that as it may, suddenly the Persians began to suffer crushing defeats. Moreover, the Greeks were able to agree on joint military action.

At the end of the war, Persia was forced to recognize the independence of the Greek city-states. In addition, she had to give up the captured territories.

And Hellas was in for an unprecedented rise. The country then began to enter a period of greatest prosperity. She was already laying the foundations of culture, which the whole world later began to follow.

A war that lasted one century

What is the longest war in history? You will learn about this further. But the record holders included the century-long conflict between England and France. In fact, it lasted more than one century - 116 years. The fact is that both sides were forced to agree to a truce in this long battle. The cause was a plague epidemic.

At that time, both states were regional leaders. They had powerful armies and serious allies.

Initially, England began to conduct military operations. The island kingdom sought to regain, first of all, Anjou, Maine and Normandy. The French side was eager to expel the British from Aquitaine. Thus, she tried to unite all her territories.

The French formed their own militia. The British used mercenary soldiers for military operations.

In 1431, the legendary Joan of Arc, who was a symbol of the freedom of France, was executed. After this, the militia began to primarily use guerrilla methods in the fight. As a result, years later, England, exhausted by the war, admitted defeat, having lost almost all possessions on French territory.

Punic War

At the very beginning of the history of Roman civilization, Rome managed to practically subjugate all of Italy. By this time, the Romans wanted to extend their influence to the territory of the rich island of Sicily. The powerful trading power Carthage also pursued these interests. Carthaginian inhabitants ancient Rome called Poonami. As a result, hostilities began between these countries.

One of the longest wars in the world lasted 118 years. True, active hostilities lasted four decades. The rest of the time the war went on in a kind of sluggish phase.

Ultimately, Carthage was defeated and destroyed. Note that during all the years of the war, about a million people died, which was a lot for those times...

335 Years of Strange War

The obvious record holder for duration was the war between the Scilly Archipelago and the Netherlands. How long did the longest war in history last? It lasted more than three centuries and was very different from other military conflicts. At least because in all 335 years the opponents have not been able to shoot at each other.

In the first half of the 17th century, the Second Civil War was going on in England. Famous defeated the royalists. Fleeing from pursuit, the losers arrived on the shores of the Scilly Archipelago, which belonged to a prominent royalist.

Meanwhile, part of the Dutch fleet decided to support Cromwell. They hoped for an easy victory, but this did not happen. After the defeat, the Dutch authorities demanded compensation. The royalists responded with a categorical refusal. Then, at the end of March 1651, the Dutch officially declared war on Scilly, after which... they returned home.

A little later, the royalists were persuaded to surrender. But this strange “war” officially continued. It ended only in 1985, when it was discovered that formally Scilly was still at war with Holland. On next year this misunderstanding was resolved and the two countries were able to sign a peace treaty...

Winston Churchill said that war is mostly a catalog of blunders.

We invite you to get acquainted with the most famous wars that resulted from the struggle for territory or the desire for world domination. These large-scale armed conflicts forever changed the course of historical events.

The most significant wars

Battle of Constantinople

The conquest of the Balkan Peninsula by the Ottoman Turks had a strong influence on the development of European states. A strengthened and equipped Turkish army was formed in Asia Minor. In 1453, the Turks began their conquest of Constantinople (modern Istanbul). The city was surrounded by stone walls and washed by the waters of the Sea of ​​Marmara.

After Constantine refused to surrender the city voluntarily and receive possession of the Peloponnese Peninsula as a reward, the Turks began to attack. They dug under the wall, filled up a ditch with water around the city, besieged the walls, but all their attacks were courageously repelled by the soldiers of Constantinople.

The city was defended from 250 thousand enemy soldiers by 7000 people under the leadership of Constantine XII Palaiologos. The Turks decided to take a strategic pause to strengthen themselves, and then began a siege of the city from the sea and from land.

The exhausted Constantinople citizens could not withstand the onslaught: many soldiers left the fortress. In just a few days, the Turks captured Constantinople and killed everyone who refused to submit to them.

Battle of American Independence

The American Revolutionary War lasted from 1775 to 1783. The reason for the start of the American Revolution was the signing of the Stamp Act by the English government.

The document stated that all trade transactions in America should be taxed in favor of the English crown, that is, the American people should pay into the British treasury. This measure was taken to reduce the UK's external debt.

The discussion of these conditions took place without the presence of the American side. The act was repealed after a wave of protests from American residents. Then, in 1767, England imposed a tax on lead, glass, tea, paints and paper imported into the American colonies.

Dissatisfied with the decision of the British kingdom, the Americans began to develop a revolutionary plan to gain independence from England. But there was no unity among them. The population was divided into three sides - “patriots”, “loyalists” and those who took neutrality.

“Patriots” included people of the middle and lower classes of society who advocated American independence. To the "loyalists" - wealthy people, who were afraid of losing their acquired capital and opposed the revolution. Only the Religious Society of Pennsylvania took a neutral position.

The first armed attack that marked the beginning of hostilities occurred on April 19, 1775. 700 British soldiers were to seize weapons from American separatists. During the short battles, the “patriots” retreated, but the British army suffered significant losses.

For 8 years, America fought for its independence, until in April 1782 the British House of Commons voted to end the war. The United States was officially recognized as a sovereign state on September 3, 1783.

World Wars

Seven Years' War

The war between England and France lasted from 1756 to 1763. This military conflict went down in history as the largest armed confrontation of the 18th century. Seven Years' War covered countries outside of Europe. Participated in it North America, Caribbean countries, India and the Philippines.

War in Europe broke out over Silesia (located in modern Poland), which had previously belonged to the Austrians but was recaptured by the Prussians in 1748. Overseas, the cause of the armed conflict was the struggle for the territories of English and French colonists. In 1757, the Seven Years' War entered Russian Empire.

The command of the troops was headed by Pyotr Aleksandrovich Rumyantsev. For his victory in the battle of Kunersdorf (in Silesia), he was awarded the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky as the best commander of the Russian army.

Over 7 years, 400 thousand soldiers died due to fighting in Austria, 262 thousand in Prussia, 169 thousand in France, 20 thousand in England, 138 thousand in the Russian Empire. The Seven Years' War ended in early 1763 as a result of the complete exhaustion of the warring parties.

Franco-Prussian War

The Franco-Prussian War lasted from 1870 to 1871. On July 19, 1870, Germany declared war on Russia, England and France. The cause of the conflict was the desire of the German rulers to strengthen the position of the state in world politics, which at that time was dominated by the above countries. Germany ignored the military warning from Great Britain.

After 4 years of hostilities, on May 10, 1871, a peace treaty was signed between the warring countries in Frankfurt. The terms of the treaty stipulated that Germany must liberate colonial possessions in France, Denmark and Belgium. Thus, the German state lost 13.5% (73.5 thousand square kilometers) of its territories with a population of 7.3 million people.

First World War

First world war lasted from July 28, 1914 to November 11, 1918. The cause of the armed conflict was the murder of the Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophia Chotek in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Two military-political blocs of states entered into confrontation: the Quadruple Alliance and the Entente. The Quadruple Alliance included Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria. The Entente was represented by the Russian Empire, the French Republic and the British Empire.

10 million people died in the First World War. The losses of the Russian Empire amounted to more than one and a half million people. About 5 million were wounded and 2.5 million were captured by the enemy.

The First World War ended with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles by the rulers of Germany. Later they concluded peace treaties with Austria (Treaty of Saint-Germain), Bulgaria (Treaty of Neuilly), Hungary (Treaty of Trianon) and Turkey (Treaty of Sèvres).

World War II

The Second World War began on September 1, 1939 with the invasion of German and Slovak troops into Poland. In total, 61 states took part in this war.

On June 22, 1941, Germany, together with its allies - Slovakia, Hungary, Italy, Finland and Romania - attacked without warning Soviet Union. Invasion of the USSR German troops marked the beginning of the Great Patriotic War. The victims of this four-year confrontation were 27 million people.

In total, more than 60 million people died in World War II, and total material damage amounted to $4 trillion. International ties between the warring states were disrupted.

After Germany was defeated in 1945, Adolf Hitler was accused of crimes against humanity and a desire for world domination. On April 30, 1945, the Fuhrer, together with his wife Eva Braun, committed suicide.

World War II is the only armed conflict in history in which nuclear weapons were used against people. On August 6 and 9, 1945, in order to speed up the surrender of Japan, the command of the US armed forces dropped atomic bombs to the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The nuclear attack claimed the lives, according to various sources, from 90 to 160 thousand people. Japan finally surrendered on September 2, 1945.

Talk about World War III

Political analysts have repeatedly made assumptions about the outbreak of the Third World War: what will be the prerequisites, who will be its participants and what will it lead to.

According to one version, the cause of the war will be dwindling supplies of fresh water. Others speak out about the imminent overpopulation of the planet, and then territories will become a prerequisite for war. Still others believe that the battle may begin due to the aggressive desire of the next dictator to conquer the whole world.

Before getting involved in armed confrontation, you should look back. History provides many examples that prove that military conflicts are not the most best way solutions international issues. Millions of civilians and military personnel suffer and die, and the economies of the warring countries are destroyed.

Fortunately, some wars are short-lived, sometimes only a few minutes. The website has a detailed article about the shortest military confrontations.
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Humanity has been obsessed with wars since ancient times. From the bloody mud of the Colosseum to the sacrificial murders of the Aztec land, it would be quite difficult to find a culture, even in modern times, that was not involved in warfare in some way.

Admit it, this list caught your eye, didn’t it? That's okay, because right now we're going to introduce you to the 25 most fearless and deadliest warriors in human history!

25. Gladiators

"Sword bearers" translated from Latin language, most of these Roman warriors were slaves and survived not only by fighting each other, but also by engaging wild animals and convicted criminals in huge arenas.

Rarely did any of these warriors, whose fate was decided by the assembled crowd of spectators, survive more than 10 battles and live longer than 30 years.

24. Apache

Known for their bravery and ferocity in battle, Apache warriors were undoubtedly a force to be reckoned with. By the time the Apaches surrendered to the United States in 1886, only about 50 warriors remained, including their fearless leader, the now famous Geronimo.

23. Vikings


The Vikings were terrifying, especially to their European neighbors, because they were very aggressive and used unconventional fighting styles, particularly the use of battle axes.

22. French Musketeers


Combining chic with real lethality, the Musketeers were a group of elite bodyguards for the King of France. Capable of both piercing an enemy at close range and killing from afar, they did their job, and did it well.

21. Spartans

As the Greek historian Thucydides once wrote, when a Spartan went to war, his wife gave him his shield and said: “With the shield or on the shield.”

Trained from the age of 7, boys were taken from their mothers and sent to military training camps. There they faced a number of difficulties, including a lack of food and clothing, which often forced them to turn to the path of thieves. If they were caught, they were severely punished - however, not for theft, but for the fact that they were caught.

20. Medieval knights


The equivalent of a modern tank, the medieval knight was covered in armor and could sneak through enemy lines with ease. However, not everyone could achieve the status of knight, and it was often quite expensive to hold a knighthood. A good war horse could cost as much as a small plane.

19. Russian special forces

Short for "special forces", very little is known about these warriors due to the extreme secrecy of their training and operations. However, they managed to build a formidable reputation for themselves as one of the most elite special forces units in the world.

18. French Foreign Legion

Founded in 1831, the French Foreign Legion is a unit that allows foreign mercenaries to enlist and fight for French interests around the world.

Achieved its reputation in pop culture as a place to serve offended people to start their lives anew, it is in fact an elite fighting force whose members are repeatedly recruited by other armies.

17. Ming Warriors

As one of the first military men to use gunpowder in their ranks, the Ming warriors were a formidable force to be reckoned with and managed to expand the borders of China.

They were not only ruthless, but also very effective warriors, since each division of the Ming army had to support itself and produce its own food.

16. Mongol horsemen


The Mongols had only one mission they were focused on - destruction. Their ruthless mentality led them to conquer more of the world than any other empire in human history. And this is not just because they were skilled riders - they could pierce the enemy’s heart with an arrow while galloping.

15. "Immortals"

According to Herodotus, the "Immortals" were a group of heavy infantry, consisting of 10,000 of the strongest... always. It didn't matter how many of them you killed. As soon as one died, another took his place. Ten thousand - no more, no less. This is how they supposedly got their name. They just seemed to never die.

14. US Army Rangers

Dating back to the days of the colonial army, when American generals combined European technology with Indian warfare tactics, the Rangers are well known for their fearlessness as the world's first light infantry strike force.

13. Rajputs

The word Rajput literally means "son of the king" (or "son of the raj"), so you couldn't just wake up one day and decide to become a Rajput warrior - they had to be born.

These legendary harbingers of death are still active in the Indian Army. It is speculated that their prowess is due to the fact that their homeland, Rajasthan, was located right on the Indian border, making them the first line of defense against enemy invaders.

12. Comanche

As Jay Redhawk, a Comanche Indian, once said, “We are warriors from birth.” Having an almost legendary status, they are often referred to as the "Lords of the Plains". In fact, it is rumored that Comanches could shoot arrows at their enemy while hanging from the neck of their horse.

11. Centurions

The concept of centurions was revolutionary for its time, as it was the first time in history that a person could lead a legitimate life based entirely on warfare and killing. Although in order to earn such a position, a Roman soldier must work his way up the career ladder of the most powerful military force on the planet and prove that there is no one better.

10. Zande Warriors

The Zande were a tribe that struck fear throughout Central Africa with its cruelty shown on the battlefield. They could even polish their teeth to make their appearance even more terrifying; they constantly repeated “yum-yum,” which is why neighboring tribes gave them the nickname “great eaters.”

9. Israeli commandos


Charged with defending one of the smallest nations on the planet from almost every military force within thousands of miles, the Israel Defense Force has no choice - it just has to be good.

Naturally, the best of the best emerge from among the best. Known as Sayret or Commandos for short, this elite group of fighters never rests when engaging the enemy.

8. Aztec Warriors

The Aztecs had two targets to attack. Firstly, they needed land to collect tribute, and secondly, they needed captives to sacrifice during religious ceremonies.

War was such an integral part of their culture that when a new leader was elected, he had to immediately organize a military campaign to prove his strength.

7. Maori warriors

With a reputation for eating their enemies to earn their "Mana", their respect, the Maori were fierce warriors who would perform a "Peruperu", or war dance, before attacking their enemies to intimidate them and provide insight into the carnage that followed.

6. Samurai

These Japanese swordsmen lived their lives according to the code of Bushido, which means "the way of the warrior." Although in recent years their image is romanticized, were strongly bound by honor.

One notable result of this was seppuku (better known as harakiki), a form of ritual murder in which a warrior rips open his own abdomen to restore his honor.

5. "Green Berets"

Members of the U.S. Army Special Forces, Green Berets are experts in unconventional warfare. As dangerous as they are on the battlefield, they must also be very smart.

Depending on their assignment, they must be fluent in certain foreign language, which is studied over several months, while simultaneously undergoing military training.

4. Ninja

These secret agents of feudal Japan specialized in the unorthodox art of war. Often their "anything goes" mentality was contrasted with the samurai, who followed a strict code of honor and combat. At their core, being spies,

None of the wars can compare in its cruelty with the civil war. By the “dry” definition, this is between armed and organized groups within the state. The reasons for such a conflict can be very different: financial, ethnic, religious... But all this is not so important when millions are dying...
1 Civil war in China (1927-1950)

The parties to this conflict in the most populous country in the world, of course, fought for power. So much and so little, if you look at the result... The Chinese National People's Party (Kuomintang, leader Chiang Kai-shek) opposed the Communist Party of China (CCP, leaders Xi Jinping and Mao Zedong). The war went on intermittently due to other wars (Japanese-Chinese, for example), it is noteworthy that in 1937 the parties united against a common enemy - Japan, and after the victory they again continued the internal conflict. The exact number of troops is still not known; the number of victims, according to Western historians alone, exceeds 12.5 million people. The number of victims during all the years of this civil war (including refugees, repressed people and those missing in torture chambers) exceeds 35 million people... As is known, the communists won this war. But at what cost? It is up to posterity to judge this.

2 "Taiping Rebellion" (1850-1864)

And again China, but 70 years earlier. " Peasants' War", or the "Taiping Rebellion" began in 1850 and became the bloodiest not only in the 19th century, but also in the entire previous history of mankind. Led by Hong Xiuquan, the peasantry, with numerous robbers and river pirates joining it, opposed the Manchu Qing Empire, which at that time included China. Thanks to iron discipline, the peasants won a lot of brilliant victories, and in 1855 Hong Xiuquan created the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom"in southern China (with a population in those years of more than 30 million people). The liberation war brought not only benefits, but also enormous sacrifices: from 14 to 20 million people. Historians still argue about their number today, but in the end one thing is clear: due to internal strife, the “Taiping” lost their leader, and then were completely defeated. The Free Kingdom was destroyed.

3 Russian Civil War (1917-1922)

The largest armed conflict in Russia, weakened by the First World War, broke out after the October Revolution of 1917 and the subsequent transfer of power to the Bolsheviks. The “Red” workers’ and peasants’ army and their leaders (V.I. Lenin, L.D. Trotsky, S.S. Kamenev, etc.) were opposed by the forces of the anti-Bolshevik authorities and people who lost everything as a result of the revolutionary change of power - for example, officers, Cossacks, intelligentsia, landowners, clergy and many others. Among the many leaders of the “white movement” we can highlight A.V. Kolchak, L.G. Kornilov. And for both the “reds” and the “whites,” the goal of the civil war was to retain power in Russia with the subsequent opportunity to implement their own political system. According to numerous historical documents and subsequent research, Russia lost 5 million 750 thousand people or more in this war. As a result of the Bolshevik victory, the Union of Soviets was formed Socialist Republics. Good or bad, this cannot be changed.

4 Nigerian Civil War (1967-1970)

The bloodiest war of the 60s on the ever-seething African continent. Nigeria is a state artificially created by Great Britain, which gained independence in 1960. In those years, the population exceeded 60 million people from 300 (!) different cultures and ethnic groups. As a result of the struggle for power, three irreconcilable peoples emerged in one country: the South-East (“Igbo”), the North (“Hausa-Fulani”) and the South-West (“Yoruba”). It is worth mentioning the discovery of large oil reserves in the Niger Delta, which only added fuel to the fire. After a three-year war, not a single participant in this terrible conflict remained a clear winner - the world powers insisted on the unity of Nigeria and an end to all violence (such unanimity is extremely rare today). The UN issued a corresponding document. More than 3 million people became victims of these disputes.

5 Sudanese Civil War (1955-1972/1983-2005)

The First and Second Sudanese Civil Wars lasted a total of 39 years! Both conflicts erupted between the Christian south and the Muslim north (former British and Egyptian territories, respectively). After Sudan gained independence in 1956 government agencies were located in the northern part of the country. No matter how stupid, this was the precondition for the start of the confrontation. And when Muslims refused to form a federal system public administration, “thunder struck”! In these terrible wars, more than 2.5 million people died (including from hunger) and more than 4 million became refugees... And again, the desire to have a little more power than one has led to terrible consequences.

6 Civil war in Rwanda (1990 - 1994)

Armed conflict in Rwanda between supporters of President Juvenal Habyarimana and rebels of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF). The war began on October 1, 1990 with the invasion of the country by RPF troops and officially ended on August 4, 1993 with the signing of the Arusha Accords.
However, on the evening of April 6, 1994, returning from a conference, the plane of Rwandan President Juvénal Habyarimana was shot down by a MANPADS as it approached Kigali. The President of Burundi, Cyprien Ntaryamira, also died along with him.
This led to a new outbreak of violence followed by genocide by the RPF. The number of those killed in 100 days ranged from 500,000 to 1,000,000 people, according to various sources, of which approximately 10% were Hutus.
Hutu and Tutsi are ethno-social groups inhabiting Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi and some other countries.

7 Haitian Revolution (1791-1803)

Formally it’s not a civil war, but in fact it is. Haiti is the only example of a successful slave revolt in history. Being French colony(“Saint-Domingue”), Haiti in those years numbered more than 500 thousand black slaves and just over 40 thousand white colonists. Living conditions for blacks were so difficult that their mortality rate reduced the population by 4-7% per year. The leaders of the uprising were blacks Francois Dominique Toussaint Louverture and Jean-Jacques Dessalines. None of the sent armies was able to break the resistance. And even Napoleon's regiments were defeated. In 1804, the Republic of Haiti was created. And then the most stupid and monstrous thing begins, inherent in all wars waged by humanity: Jean-Jacques Dessalines proclaimed himself Emperor Jacques I and ordered the slaughter of the entire white population of the island, amounting to just over 41 thousand people. The slave and master switched places. The total number of deaths in this war: 400-450 thousand people.

8 Burmese Civil War (1948-2012)

Burma is a state in the west of the Indochina Peninsula. The official name of the country since 2010 is the Republic of the Union of Myanmar (Burma is an unpopular name in the country). Gained independence (again from Great Britain) in 1948, and then war broke out. In the case of Burma, it is interesting not only who is against whom, but also what they fought for. The official government fought a 64-year war with local communists for control and distribution of opium products. Of course, compared to Chinese wars the number of victims is not so great, and according to official data it was about 200 thousand soldiers on each side, but still - to fight for more than half a century over drug trafficking, and even at the state level?

9 American Civil War (1861-1865)

The armed confrontation between the slave-owning South and the non-slave-owning North is the essence of this historical example. Historians have identified two main problems in the relations between two parts of one country: taxes and slavery. The North raised taxes to protect its industries and advocated the abolition of slavery. In the South, on the contrary, since the 17th century, the entire economy was based on black slaves, and it was more profitable for them to trade with the whole world without the tax component of the North. Having organized itself into the CSA (Confederate States of America), the South enlisted the support of Britain, France and others. The North (USA) was not supported by anyone in the world, except for one country - Russia (today it would be useful for the USA to remember this). More than 2 thousand battles took place in this war, more than 620 thousand people were counted as victims.

10 Civil war in Syria (2011-....?)

One of the modern bloody conflicts in which some citizens kill others is the armed confrontation between government forces and Islamist rebel groups in Syria. The UN characterizes this war as an “open religious conflict” and nothing more. Both sides categorically disagree with this formulation, but they are in no hurry to provide their explanation. On the other hand, foreign support for the parties to the conflict is so great that it is time to recognize this as a war between states in Syria. It would seem that it is enough to stop outside help, and the war will subside on its own. But no one is in a hurry to help the Syrians come to peace. Is that necessary? For what? For what? To date, more than 450 thousand people have died, and more than 8 million have become refugees.
Let’s hope, and this is where the list ends: after all, it’s the 21st century, it’s time to resolve disputes in other ways...

Duration: 25 years old
Ruler: Ivan IV the Terrible
Country: Russian Kingdom
Result: Russia was defeated

The purpose of this war was the access of the Russian kingdom to the Baltic Sea and the provision of trade and political ties with Europe, which the Livonian Order actively prevented. Some historians call the Livonian War, which lasted 25 years, the work of a lifetime.

Reason to start Livonian War was prompted by the question of the “Yuriev tribute.” The fact is that the city of Yuryev, later named Dorpat, and even later Tartu, was founded by Yaroslav the Wise and, according to the agreement of 1503, an annual tribute was to be paid to the Russian kingdom for it and the surrounding territory, but this was not done. The war was successful for the Russian kingdom only until 1568.

The Estonian city of Tartu was founded by Yaroslav the Wise

Ivan IV the Terrible lost the war and Russian state found itself cut off from the Baltic Sea. The war ended with the signing of two truces: Yam-Zapolsky in 1582 and Plyussky in 1583. Russia lost all previously made conquests, as well as significant amounts of land on the border with the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the coastal Baltic cities: Koporye, Ivangorod and Yama.

Duration: 20 years
Ruler: Peter I the Great
Country: Russian Kingdom
Result: Russia won

The Northern War began when the Northern Alliance declared war on Sweden. The Northern Alliance was created on the initiative of the Elector of Saxony and King Augustus II of Poland. The Northern Union also included the Danish-Norwegian Kingdom, headed by King Christian V, and the Russian Kingdom, headed by Peter I. It is necessary to clarify the fact that the population of Sweden then exceeded the population of the Russian Kingdom.

In 1700, after a series of rapid Swedish victories, the Northern Alliance fell apart, Denmark withdrew from the war in 1700, and Saxony in 1706. After this, until 1709, when the Northern Alliance was restored, Russian state fought with the Swedes mainly on its own.

On the side of the Russian Kingdom they fought: Hanover, Holland, Prussia and part of the Ukrainian Cossacks. On Sweden's side are England, the Ottoman Empire, Holstein and part of the Ukrainian Cossacks.

Victory in the Northern War determined the creation of the Russian Empire

Three periods can be distinguished in the Great Northern War:

1. 1700-1706 - period coalition war and the triumph of Swedish arms
2. 1707-1709 - single combat between Russia and Sweden, which ended in the victory of a Russian soldier near Poltava
3. 1710-172 - finishing off Sweden by Russia together with former allies, who took advantage of the opportunity and rushed to the aid of the winner

Duration: 6 years
Ruler: Catherine II the Great
Country: Russian Empire
Result: Russia won

The cause of this war was the French cabinet inciting the Porte against Russia in order to provide assistance to the Bar Confederation. The reason for its announcement was the attack of the Haidamaks on the Turkish border town of Balta. This is one of the most important wars between the Russian and Ottoman empires.

During the First Turkish War of Catherine, the Russian army under the command of the famous commanders Alexander Suvorov and Pyotr Rumyantsev triumphantly defeated Turkish troops in the battles of Larga, Kagul and Kozludzhi, and the Russian fleet under the command of admirals Alexei Orlov and Grigory Spiridov inflicted historical defeats on the Turkish fleet in the Battle of Chios and at Chesma.

As a result of the war, the Russian Empire grew in territory

The main goals of this war:

• for Russia - gaining access to the Black Sea,
• for Turkey - receiving the Podolia and Volyn promised to it by the Bar Confederation, expanding its possessions in the Northern Black Sea region and the Caucasus, capturing Astrakhan and establishing a protectorate over the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

As a result of the war, the Russian Empire grew in territory: it included Novorossiya and northern Caucasus, A Crimean Khanate came under its protectorate. Türkiye paid Russia an indemnity of 4.5 million rubles, and also ceded the northern coast of the Black Sea along with two important ports.

On July 21, 1774, the Ottoman Empire signed the Kuchuk-Kainardzhi Treaty with Russia, as a result of which the Crimean Khanate formally gained independence under Russian protectorate.

4 War with Persia 1804-1813

Duration: 8 years
Ruler:
Country: Russian Empire
Result: Russia won
Peculiarities:

Persia was extremely dissatisfied with the growing Russian power in the Caucasus and decided to fight this power before it had time to take deep roots. The annexation of Eastern Georgia to Russia and the capture of Ganzhi by Tsitsianov served as catalysts for the start of this war.

In the summer of 1804, hostilities began: numerous Persian troops began to attack Russian posts. The Persian Shah of Persia, Baba Khan, vowed to drive out of Georgia, slaughter and exterminate all Russians to the last man. The forces were very unequal: Tsitsianov had only 8,000 people scattered throughout the South Caucasus, while the Persians had the army of Crown Prince Abbas Mirza of 40,000 people.

A characteristic episode of the war was the battle on the Askeran River, where a small detachment of Colonel Karyagin - 500 rangers of the 17th regiment and the Tiflis musketeers - stood in the way of the Persian troops. For two weeks, from June 24 to July 7, a handful of Russian braves repelled the attacks of 20,000 Persians, and then broke through their ring, transporting both their guns over their bodies, as if on a living bridge. Dedicated to the dedication of Russian soldiers. The initiative of the living bridge belongs to private Gavrilo Sidorov, who paid with his life for his selflessness.

The Living Bridge is an example of the dedication of Russian soldiers

With this resistance, Karyagin saved Georgia. The offensive impulse of the Persians was broken, and in the meantime Tsitsianov managed to gather troops and take measures to defend the country. On July 28th, at Zagam, Abbas Mirza suffered a crushing defeat. Tsitsianov began to bring the surrounding khans into submission, but on February 8, 1806 he was treacherously killed under the walls of Baku.

On October 12 (24), 1813, the Peace of Gulistan was signed in Karabakh, according to which Persia recognized the entry into the Russian Empire of Eastern Georgia and Northern Azerbaijan, Imereti, Guria, Mengrelia and Abkhazia. In addition, Russia received the exclusive right to maintain a navy in the Caspian Sea.

Duration: 2 years
Ruler: Alexander I Pavlovich the Blessed
Country: Russian Empire
Result: Russia won
Peculiarities: Russia fought two wars simultaneously

The whole of 1811 was spent in preparations for the coming great war, both in France and in Russia, which still maintained diplomatic relations for the sake of appearance. Alexander I wanted to take the initiative into his own hands and invade German lands, but this was prevented by the unpreparedness of the Russian army and the ongoing war with Turkey in the Caucasus. Napoleon forced his father-in-law, the Austrian emperor, and his vassal, the Prussian king, to place their armed forces at his disposal.

By the spring of 1812, the forces of the Russian Empire amounted to three armies with a total of 200,000 people.

1. 1st Army - Commander: Barclay de Tolly. Number: 122,000 bayonets. The army observed the line of the Neman from Russia to Lida.
2. 2nd Army - Commander: Bagration. Number: 45,000 bayonets. The army was located between the Neman and the Bug, near Grodna and Brest.
3. 3rd Army - Commander: Tormasov. Number: 43,000 bayonets. The army gathered near Lutsk covered Volyn.

The Patriotic War consists of two large periods:
1) the war with Napoleon in Russia - 1812
2) foreign campaigns of the Russian army - 1813-1814

In turn, the foreign campaigns of the Russian army consist of two campaigns:

1. 1813 campaign - liberation of Germany
2. 1814 campaign - defeat of Napoleon

The war ended with the almost complete destruction of Napoleonic army, the liberation of Russian territory and the transfer of hostilities to the lands of the Duchy of Warsaw and Germany in 1813. Among the reasons for the defeat of Napoleon’s army, the Russian historian Troitsky names:

• popular participation in the war and the heroism of the Russian army,
• the unpreparedness of the French army for combat operations in large spaces and in the natural and climatic conditions of Russia,
• military leadership talents of the Russian commander-in-chief M.I. Kutuzov and other generals.

6 Crimean War 1853-1856 (3 years)

Duration: 3 years
Other name: Eastern War
Ruler: Nicholas I Pavlovich
Country: Russian Empire
Result: Russia was defeated

It was a war between the Russian Empire and a coalition of several countries: the British, French, Ottoman Empires and the Kingdom of Sardinia. Fighting took place in the Caucasus, in the Danube principalities, in the Baltic, Black, Azov, White and Barents seas and in Kamchatka.

The fiercest battles of the Eastern War took place in Crimea.

The Ottoman Empire was in decline and only direct military assistance from Russia, England, France and Austria allowed the Turkish Sultan to twice prevent the capture of Constantinople by the rebellious vassal Muhammad Ali of Egypt. At the same time, the struggle of the Orthodox peoples for liberation from the Ottoman yoke continued. These factors led to the desire of the Russian Emperor Nicholas I to free the Orthodox peoples Balkan Peninsula from oppression Ottoman Empire. This was opposed by Great Britain and Austria. In addition, Great Britain sought to oust Russia from the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus and from Transcaucasia.

Sevastopol Bay remained under Russian control

During the fighting, the coalition forces managed to concentrate quantitatively and qualitatively superior army and navy forces in the Black Sea. This allowed them to successfully land an airborne corps in the Crimea and inflict Russian army a series of defeats and, after a year-long siege, capture the southern part of Sevastopol. But Sevastopol Bay remained under Russian control.

On the Caucasian front, Russian troops managed to inflict a number of defeats on the Turkish army and capture Kars. However, the threat of Austria and Prussia joining the war forced Russia to accept the peace terms imposed by the Allies. In 1856, the Treaty of Paris was signed with the following terms:

1. Russia is obliged to return to the Ottoman Empire everything captured in southern Bessarabia, at the mouth of the Danube River and in the Caucasus;
2. The Russian Empire was prohibited from having a combat fleet in the Black Sea, which was declared neutral waters;
3. Russia stopped military construction in the Baltic Sea, and much more.

At the same time, the goals of separating significant territories from Russia were not achieved. The terms of the agreement reflected a virtually equal course of hostilities, when the allies, despite all efforts and heavy losses, were unable to advance beyond the Crimea, and suffered defeats in the Caucasus.

Duration: 3 years
Ruler: Nicholas II Alexandrovich
Country: Russian Empire
Result: Russia was defeated
Peculiarities: The Russian Empire ceased to exist

The reason for the First World War was the assassination of the Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand on June 28, 1914 in the Bosnian city of Sarajevo. The killer was a Serbian student from Bosnia, Gavrila Princip, who was a member of the Mlada Bosna organization, which fought for the unification of all South Slavic peoples into one state.

This caused a storm of indignation and an explosion of militant sentiment in Vienna, which saw in the incident a convenient reason to “punish” Serbia, which opposed the establishment of Austrian influence in the Balkans. Nevertheless, the ruling circles of Germany showed the greatest activity in starting the war. On July 10, 1914, Austria-Hungary presented an ultimatum to Serbia, which contained demands that were obviously unacceptable to Serbia, which forced the Serbs to reject them. On July 16, 1914, the Austrian bombardment of Belgrade began.

Russia could not remain aloof from the conflict:
the inevitable defeat of Serbia meant for Russia the loss of influence in the Balkans

As a result of the war, four empires ceased to exist:

• Russian,
• Austro-Hungarian,
• Ottoman,
• German

The participating countries lost more than 10 million people in soldiers killed, about 12 million civilians killed, and about 55 million were wounded.

8 Great Patriotic War 1941-1945 (4 years)

Duration: 4 years
Ruler: Joseph Stalin (Dzhugashvili)
Country: USSR
Result: Russia won

The war of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics against Nazi Germany and its allies: Bulgaria, Hungary, Italy, Romania, Slovakia, Finland, Croatia.

The development of a plan for an attack on the USSR began in December 1940. The plan was codenamed "Barbarossa" and was designed for " lightning war" - blitzkrieg. The task of Army Group North was to capture Leningrad. The most powerful group, “Center,” is aimed at Moscow. Army Group South was supposed to occupy Ukraine.

According to the calculations of the German command, within six months the fascist troops were supposed to reach the Arkhangelsk-Astrakhan line. From the beginning of 1941, there was a massive transfer of German troops to the Soviet borders.

Nazi Germany's Blitzkrieg failed

On June 22, 1941, German troops crossed the Soviet border. At the time of the attack the balance of forces was as follows. By personnel: Germany – 1.5, USSR – 1; for tanks: respectively, 1 to 3.1; for airplanes: 1 to 3.4. Thus, Germany had an advantage in the number of troops, but in terms of the number of tanks and aircraft, the Red Army was superior to the Wehrmacht.

The most famous battles of the Great Patriotic War:

1. defense of the Brest Fortress
2. battle for Moscow
3. Battle of Rzhev
4. Battle of Stalingrad
5. Kursk Bulge
6. battle for the Caucasus
7. defense of Leningrad
8. defense of Sevastopol
9. defense of the Arctic
10. liberation of Belarus - Operation Bagration
11. battle of berlin

The total number of deaths in the Great Patriotic War- about 20 million citizens of the USSR.